The effect of adverse and positive experiences on inflammatory markers in Australian and UK children

Naomi Priest; Shuaijun Guo; Dawid Gondek; Rebecca E. Lacey; David Burgner; Marnie Downes; Natalie Slopen; Sharon Goldfeld; Margarita Moreno-Betancur; Jessica A. Kerr; Stephanie Cahill; Melissa Wake; Markus Juonala; Kate Lycett; Meredith O'Connor

Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health (Dec 2022)

The effect of adverse and positive experiences on inflammatory markers in Australian and UK children

Naomi Priest,
Shuaijun Guo,
Dawid Gondek,
Rebecca E. Lacey,
David Burgner,
Marnie Downes,
Natalie Slopen,
Sharon Goldfeld,
Margarita Moreno-Betancur,
Jessica A. Kerr,
Stephanie Cahill,
Melissa Wake,
Markus Juonala,
Kate Lycett,
Meredith O'Connor

Affiliations

Naomi Priest: ANU Centre for Social Research & Methods, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Corresponding author. ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, Australian National University, Beryl Rawson Building, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia.
Shuaijun Guo: Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Dawid Gondek: Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
Rebecca E. Lacey: Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
David Burgner: Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Inflammatory Origins Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of General Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Pediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Marnie Downes: Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
Natalie Slopen: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
Sharon Goldfeld: Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Margarita Moreno-Betancur: Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
Jessica A. Kerr: Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Population Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago Christchurch, New Zealand
Stephanie Cahill: Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Melissa Wake: Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Population Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Pediatrics & the Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Markus Juonala: Population Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
Kate Lycett: Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Population Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Social & Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia
Meredith O'Connor: Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Population Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 26
p. 100550

Abstract

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Background: The relationship between childhood adversity and inflammation is well-established. Examination of positive experiences can provide a more complete understanding of intervention opportunities. We investigated associations of adverse and positive experiences, and their intersection, with inﬂammation in children and adolescents. Methods: Data sources: Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC; N = 1237) and Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC; N = 3488). Exposures: Adverse and positive experiences assessed repeatedly (LSAC: 0–11 years; ALSPAC: 0–15 years). Outcomes: Inﬂammation quantiﬁed by high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) (LSAC: 11–12 years; ALSPAC: 15.5 years). Analyses: Linear regression on the log-transformed outcomes estimated the relative difference in inﬂammatory markers with adverse/positive experiences, adjusting for socio-demographics and concurrent positive/adverse experiences, respectively. Results: Most associations were in the expected direction but differed in magnitude by exposure, outcome and cohort. Across both cohorts, adverse experiences were associated with up to 7.3% higher hsCRP (95% CI: −18.6%, 33.2%) and up to 2.0% higher GlycA (95% CI: 0.5%, 3.5%); while positive experiences were associated with up to 22.1% lower hsCRP (95% CI: −49.0%, 4.7%) and 1.3% lower GlycA (95% CI: −2.7%, 0.2%). In LSAC, the beneficial effect of positive experiences on inflammation was more pronounced among those with fewer concurrent adverse experiences. Conclusion: Across two cohorts, we found small but directionally consistent associations between adverse experiences and higher inflammation, and positive experiences and lower inflammation, particularly for GlycA. Future research should give further consideration to positive experiences to complement the current focus on adversity and inform the design and evaluation of early life interventions.

Published in Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health

ISSN: 2666-3546 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/brain-behavior-and-immunity-health

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